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He pats me on the shoulder. “And that is exactly the kind of man my daughter deserves at her side.”
Just then, Nick comes walking in with Liam on his arm, glaring at both of us. “What’s going on here?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say with a shrug. “Just having a chat with your father, and since the girls were being so loud, we took it here.”
He grins. “Yeah, they can be quite noisy.”
Liam stretches his arms to his grandfather, who takes him from Nick. The little boy’s affectionate giggle roams the room when John plays airplane with him by shooting him through the room while making engine sounds. They disappear into the hall. Before I can follow, Nick speaks and my feet freeze in place.
“Have to admit, I was a little uncertain about you two dating. But seeing how you make her smile like no other guy has done, it’s obvious you’re good for her. So stay with it, bud. Take care of my sis.”
My throat thickens and I mumble a quiet thank you. He flicks his head toward the kitchen and we move. His words resonate in my thoughts. I’m serious about Amanda and care deeply for her, but knowing they recognize that means the world to me. It only solidifies my feelings for her.
As we approach the kitchen, I take a moment to reflect on how far I’ve come since first meeting Amanda. From merely being her friend, hiding my true feelings, to now being able to call her my girl, is truly an amazing journey of self-discovery. Every day I thank the gods for blessing me with such an incredible woman in my life—for making our paths cross and allowing me to look past my fears and become something more than two people who were friends at one point in time.
As Nick pours himself another drink, I turn away from him to take a deep breath and push away the sliver of doubt of things going wrong by sending a silent prayer up to the heavens, hoping and wishing that this happiness will last forever and that these beautiful moments will never end.
20
BRIAN
A few weeks later, I take a few steps back and marvel at my masterpiece. Not bad for an amateur. I’ve never taken the time to do this before, but something about Amanda and knowing she loves this time of year pushed me to go the extra mile. After starting this morning, I left to spend Christmas day with my mom, and when I came back, I finished it.
The screech of tires on the pavement has my adrenaline pumping.She’s here.As soon as I’m on the front porch, her silhouette comes into view, then her smiling face, which fills me with a warmth I can’t quite explain.
When she makes it up to me, I take her hands in mine and bring them to my lips for a soft kiss before drawing back and saying, “Hey.”
“Hey there, handsome.”
I lean in and whisper with our noses almost touching, “Are you eager to find out what I have in store for you?”
“Oh my gosh, yes. It’s not nice to just text me that you have a surprise. You know I don’t enjoy waiting for surprises.”
I chuckle. “Yes, I remember the time Nick let slip he bought your birthday present. You wouldn’t stop bugging him until he spilled the beans.”
I lead her to the front door before turning toward her and whispering, “Close your eyes.”
She complies, and as I guide her into the house, I can sense her anticipation radiating off her.
Reaching our destination, I let go of her waist and announce while taking a step back, “You can open your eyes now.”
Amanda blinks a few times as she takes in the transformed living room. Illuminated in the room’s corner stands a large Christmas tree I put up for her. Its bright white light dots glimmer like a million tiny stars, giving the room an ethereal, magical atmosphere.
She spins around to look at me, amazement etched on her face. “You did this for me?”
My heart swells with happiness, seeing the admiration and appreciation in her gaze. “Yeah. You like it?”
She launches herself into my arms and buries her face against my neck, muffling a sob of happiness. I hold her close, running my hands up and down her back in soothing circles until she pulls away, a radiant smile lighting up her beautiful face. Her soft lips brush against mine as she whispers, “Thank you.”
I love how such a simple gesture can have this immense effect. It’s kind of the same satisfying reaction I get when I see the gang from the LWC arriving every Monday. Just by offering them Six-Pack as their weekly hangout, they repay my kindness with their infectious laughs and funny antics, which bring me more joy than all the handsomeness and sexiness I possess. Which is a lot, but these aren’t traits I want to be remembered by when I die.
She yawns. “Sorry.”
I chuckle, taking her coat from her shoulders. “Let me guess, Christmas at the Brown family was lively?” She nods as I hang up her coat.
“You’ve got that right, but I loved it. Charlotte and Liam were two hyper bunnies when they saw the presents under the tree my parents put up. It was an exhausting day but worth it. How was your Christmas with your mom?”
“Good, I say. We cooked dinner and watched a golden oldie while eating on the couch together. Simple but perfect if you ask me.”
